


Be Careful With Your Words

by Aquadextrous



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Embarrassment, F/M, I Don't Even Know, Mentions of Sex, No Sex, Platonic Relationships, friendly teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-26 04:53:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30100575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aquadextrous/pseuds/Aquadextrous
Summary: “Ahh Kurapika it hurts.”“I’m sorry Miss Neon but you’ll have to hold still if you want it to become marginally better.”“Why won’t you start moving?”“It will have to wait a while, Miss Neon. Have patience.”“Grr you should know by now I don’thavepatience!”Or: Eliza overhears some steamy conversation and thinks of the worst. Or: KuraNeon out of context.
Relationships: Kurapika/Neon Nostrade
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Y'know what, this is one of my top ships and all I ask is respect if you don't ship it. I have a few ideas for these two and I'm going to write them (when I have the time, obviously). Buckle up, buttercup!

Eliza tidied about her boss' room, picking up clothes strewn around the floor and folding them up. The mistress was still nowhere to be found but the handmaiden wasn't worried. She'd show up and would most likely go to bed. It was quite late already.

As she made her way toward the door, she heard muffled voices in the bathroom attached to the room.

“Ahh Kurapika it hurts.”

“I’m sorry Miss Neon but you’ll have to hold still if you want it to become marginally better.”

“Why won’t you start moving?”

“It will have to wait a while, Miss Neon. Have patience.”

“Grr you should know by now I don’t _have_ patience!”

Then there was a thump and a high-pitched whine coming from the bathroom that was attached to the Boss’ room, Eliza covering her mouth in order to stop herself from making any noise.

The Boss and the stoic bodyguard getting it on? Doing the dirty in the Boss’ room, no less? Ooh, how spicy.

This would surely make such a spectacle in the mansion.

With a giddy little laugh, Eliza made sure that she left the room with no noise, cheeks red and mind running at the possibilities on what the couple was up to.

* * *

Kurapika’s eyes skimmed over the newspaper clipping he’d been able to snag, coffee cup in his other hand as he took a sip every once in a while.

He vaguely registered the opening of the kitchen door, humming in acknowledgement but never once looking up from the paper.

If he had, he would have noticed the red faces of his comrades Melody and Basho. He would have also seen how they exchanged looks, their faces turning a darker red as Basho continuously nudged his companion, who stood stock still almost not breathing.

Kurapika then noticed the tension and so turned his head toward them, more than surprised at how they looked so flustered and uncomfortable. Basho wouldn’t meet his eye and Melody kept on fiddling with her skirts, attention solely on her clothing.

Their behavior struck him as odd and so addressed them both, once again taken aback when they flinched as he called their names.

Then he frowned, concerned and slightly perturbed.

“What seems to be the problem? Why are you both so jittery?”

Basho took one second to look at his leader before bursting into laughter, doubling over and slapping his beefy thigh, his other hand cradling his forehead. Melody pursed her lips, shrugging in what Kurapika could see as feigning innocence. He sighed; he needed to understand them both to rectify the problem, existent or otherwise.

“You’ve got guts, Kurapika!” Basho said, tears of laughter streaming down his face.

Kurapika only looked at him in confusion, head tilting to the side. Guts on what? What was he talking about?

Melody opened her mouth to speak but Basho beat her once again and continued, “Making sweet, sweet loving to our dear little Boss.” He straightened then, a smirk on his face. “But hey, understandable since you’re but a teen and you’re in need of some relief yourself.”

The blond Kurta blinked twice, trying to make sense of his comrade’s words. ‘Sweet, sweet loving’? To the Boss, Neon? What did he mean by that? And something about him being in need of relief?

Just what – then he blushed as red as a tomato, the implication behind his words sinking in and making the boy lose a breath at the suggestion of his words.

Unknown to him, his eyes also flashed scarlet for a moment, wholly taken aback at the situation.

The realization was enough to make him almost fall from his chair, Kurapika gripping his table for purchase and being infinitely grateful that he held neither newspaper nor cup of coffee. He knew those would be ruined if he received the news while he was still holding them.

“So I’m guessing it’s _not_ true?” asked Melody with a knowing tilt of the head, Basho still sniggering but sobering up once the woman spoke. 

“Yes!” Kurapika all but blurted out, losing all semblance of calm as he stood to try and claim innocence (although he didn’t know why standing would help matters) and shaking his head violently, heartbeat erratic against his ribcage. “I mean, no! Well, me and the Boss doing that… no it’s not true. Nothing happened, I swear.”

He licked his lips, feeling all hot and sweaty all over. How did this happen? Those were just some tactless rumors with no tangible proof. Surely, it must have also spread around the mansion. And… oh no… what if Light Nostrade somehow heard of it and decided that he, Kurapika, shouldn’t be anywhere near his daughter?

He sighed through his nose, wanting to get himself under control and be collected like usual. The very idea… he shivered. He never thought of the young boss in such a way and would never want to do anything to desecrate her – physical or anything else. Besides… she was clearly lacking in social skills and cues, only caring about herself and her precious collection.

Where did this ungodly rumor surface from?

“Wh –“ he cleared his throat, suddenly parched. “Where did you hear that? Surely you don’t believe that, do you?”

His comrades looked to each other uncertainly, confirming Kurapika’s suspicions.

He groaned and slapped a hand to his eyes, falling back on his chair and wanting the ground to open up and swallow him whole. Never mind about the Phantom Troupe. If he can’t survive this, then there was almost no way his revenge would be in action any time soon.

* * *

Neon’s girlish giggles rang high and clear around the room as she won yet another round at poker, her handmaidens Eliza and Lila sharing nervous looks at once again having lost to a girl younger and lacking than them.

As Neon collected all the cards to start another game, she didn’t notice the sly look Eliza gave Lila, who cleared her throat and started in an airy voice, “You seem to be in good spirits, Miss Neon.”

“Pssh who’re you kidding of course I’m happy. I beat you girls at poker, didn’t I?” Neon returned, tongue poking out as she shuffled the cards.

“No what she meant was that you have less stress and you’re generally more cheerful than usual,” Eliza supplied. “Did something _exciting_ happen while we were gone? Something spicy during the night?”

Neon frowned, distributing the cards.

“No? Why would you ask that?”

“Didn’t you have sex with one of the hottest bodyguards Kurapika last night?” Lila practically exclaimed, excitement bouncing off her in waves that she failed to notice how her boss visibly recoiled at the suggestion, dropping the cards as horror made itself known on her face.

_”S – sex?!”_ she repeated with disbelief, hands curling in on her chest. “N – no! Where’d you girls get that idea? Nothing happened!”

Despite Neon’s sheltered upbringing, she knew much more than she let on so sex wasn’t such a foreign topic for her but for her handmaidens to think that she would do such a deed? Even behind her father’s back, no less? She couldn’t imagine doing it! And sex with Kurapika? She barely felt anything for the guy! Besides, he had nothing to do here but do his job, which was to protect her.

Her handmaidens only smirked at her more, as if she was withholding information, which she was not. She was being completely honest here. Why won’t they believe her?

“Well, keep the details to yourself, Miss Neon,” Eliza said, shrugging. “But I know what I heard last night and I have to admit, it was just pure sexy! I love it!”

Last night? But… last night he was with her in the bathroom bandaging her swollen ankle and berating her for who knows how long! There was nothing sexy or erotic about it! In fact, it was annoying having to listen to him tell her off, listing off reasons and complications and everything in between but even after that, he had been kind enough to help her so… but really, nothing else happened!

“Ehehe girls, don’t you think you’re taking this too far?” she tried, waving her hands in a sort of calming gesture. “I –“

“He was seen leaving your room around midnight, Miss Neon,” Lila interjected confidently. “Don’t you have anything to say to that?”

Neon fiddled with her skirts as she tried to come up with an explanation.

“You see –“

“Oh Miss Neon, you lucky gal,” commented Eliza with a cheeky smile.

“Oh what if the next time happens tonight?” Lila gushed to Eliza, who squealed as the two prattled off about it, Neon hanging her head and giving up trying to reason with the two.

* * *

This experience was definitely going to be in one of his top five embarrassing moments, ever.

He had just come out of a short but stifling talk with his employer Light Nostrade, who had talked to him about taking the necessary precautions and future plans should Kurapika really want to start a family with his daughter.

Kurapika had been too mortified and embarrassed that he could barely say anything to defend himself and clear the obvious misunderstanding but Light paid no attention to him as he rattled on and on, even saying the good and bad qualities of Neon as both a daughter and a future wife.

He sniffed, leaning on the door of Light’s office to collect the scattered pieces of his mind that simply shut down the moment he stepped foot inside the office. Oh, he could feel that migraine coming on.

And last night… he had even promised Neon he’d come back for her to braid his hair. Would it be considered cowardly of him if he simply didn’t go? Neon could throw her tantrum any day and he’d take it. It was familiar territory, one that didn’t make him think of his young boss as anything more than that.

But the speculations going around, it was too much. Surely there was a chance that Neon wasn’t aware of the rumors? But knowing her handmaidens and how they were prone to gossip, the chance became slim.

Oh, elders… what should he do? How did he even land himself in such a discomfiting situation?

He inhaled through his nose, steeling his nerves.

No, if he wanted this to end he should sort out everything with his boss first and confirm that indeed nothing out of the ordinary had happened. But to discuss such a sensitive topic with a girl who was only a few years younger than him? Assuming that Neon even knew what ‘sex’ meant and entailed… this was never-ending, wasn’t it?

Kurapika took a few more minutes to compose himself, eventually pushing himself off the wall towards the room of his young boss.

It was now or never.

He took one last calming breath before venturing toward the young maiden’s room, making sure to knock first and peeking his head in, eyes roaming around in caution until a shrill scream pierced the air, followed by something soft hitting his face.

He turned toward the sound, only to be met with the sight of Neon Nostrade in her pink nightgown, standing on her bed and throwing her stuffed animals at him. She screamed again and pointed at him, although Kurapika could not see why his presence would be a menace to her.

“Kyaah you – you – ugh I don’t know anymore!” Neon yelled in apparent frustration, cheeks ablaze and holding her stuffed toys to her chest almost protectively.

Kurapika gaped before he maintained his composure and stepped into the room, hands open in surrender to show he meant no harm. He made sure to stay a good distance from her, lest she decide to use her lamppost as a lethal weapon.

“Miss Neon,” he called in a gentle tone, “put down your toys and we can talk this out in a civil and respectful manner.”

“NO stay away!” She threw another animal at him, which he caught swiftly. He could feel his irritation building the more he spent his time in here. Did she really think he enjoyed such torture, as well?

“Miss Neon, please be reasonable. We can talk this out, can’t we?”

“NO! Eliza and Lila they –“

“– were spreading rumors again like usual. I’d like to be the first to point out that while you are a budding young girl in your teenage years much like myself, I do not feel any lust or affection toward you, Miss Neon.” She froze in the action of throwing her book at him and he took this as cue to continue further. “Forgive me for my bluntness but I must do so to clear any inkling or stray thought you have.” When she lowered down her weapon he added, “I do not see you in such a way thus rest assured you are safe.”

Neon’s small mouth fell open in a silent gasp before sinking to her bed, seemingly lost and unsure. She held her head in her hands and Kurapika stayed where he was, mindful of their distance to each other. He certainly didn’t want to get yet another barrage of animals to the face. It was terribly embarrassing and quite frankly, he could do without.

Neon peeked at him from her hands and sighed, her arms falling away as she gave him a timid smile.

“Sorry, too. I overreacted and thought about a lotta things and well… it wasn’t pretty.” She frowned. “That – whatever they’re saying – it’s not true.”

At this he breathed a mental sigh of relief. So she was just as uncomfortable as he was and wanted this whole thing to end, much like he did.

“Yes it’s not,” he confirmed to ease her. “And I apologize for being so straightforward in confessing that I do not feel anything toward you.”

She waved a dismissive hand, some of her bubbly personality coming back now that the issue was cleared.

“Nah I get it. Besides, I personally wouldn’t go for a guy as boring as you.”

He knew he should be insulted, and perhaps he was, if only a little bit. But the most part of him was relieved that she had also shared her thoughts on the matter and didn’t need to worry about her getting attached to him in the future.

“Now that that’s been settled,” she said, fixing her position to sit cross-legged on the bed and patting the spot next to her, “I didn’t forget about your promise last night that you’d let me braid your hair. So c’mere and I _might_ let you pick the ribbons I’ll put in.”

She ended all this with a playful wink, which was enough to ease Kurapika from his worries as he sighed and headed over to her, nodding.

“As you wish, Miss Neon."

And so he did, sitting down beside her in companionable silence as she went about braiding his hair, humming. It was admittedly nice that even after such a salacious rumor they were still able to maintain this relationship, whatever it is.

Kurapika was just glad he was able to expel any more misunderstandings with the girl, honestly. And if he had learned a lesson from this fiasco, it was to be careful with his words, unless he wanted the whole mansion to think of other things.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What **really** happened

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary speaks for itself so read on!

Neon Nostrade, young heiress, sat on the edge of the tub as her blond bodyguard set to work on bandaging her ankle after a nasty fall.

She pouted and huffed, the breath of air making her bangs fly up momentarily.

He pressed too hard on the swollen part, causing Neon to whimper, “Ahh Kurapika it hurts.”

He met her eyes and gave her an apologetic look, holding the antiseptic to her skin.

“I’m sorry Miss Neon but you’ll have to hold still if you want it to become marginally better.”

She grunted. “Why won’t you start moving?”

“It will have to wait a while, Miss Neon,” he answered curtly. “Have patience.”

“Grr you should know by now I don’t _have_ patience!” she couldn’t help but answer back.

When he pressed a little harder and longer, Neon’s hand flew to hit the edge of the tub, whining in pain afterward.

Kurapika then eased off her with great care, giving her a quick glance.

“You could have had a much worse injury had you not asked for help,” Kurapika remarked, rolling the gauze carefully around her ankle. He took a moment to pause to give her a meaningful look. “I hope you won’t act reckless like this anymore, Miss Neon.”

“There was a sale at the mall,” she protested, although even to her the excuse seemed weak. “I couldn’t let the opportunity pass. You know my priorities.”

She saw him roll his eyes but he didn’t comment on it.

Unintentionally, Neon began to swing her injured foot in boredom. Warm hands were gone for a stare to fixate itself upon her, Neon feeling the intensity of the gaze and defiantly staring back at him, not wanting to apologize.

What did she have to apologize for?

He sighed, seeming to understand her stare and moved his gaze back to her ankle.

“Do stay still, mistress.”

“I’m trying.”

“Well, try harder. This will only take a minute more and I’m sure a big girl like you can handle it.”

He was playing with her, she knew. For some reason, he always knew how to rile her up, intentional or not. This person was such a cool and calm person that Neon had a hard time reading him. He wasn’t an open book, like her. He was too quiet for her liking and had an aura that oozed only business and security. Sometimes, he unnerved her. Neon honestly didn’t know what to feel about that.

Then he was done and began packing up the first-aid materials, humming slightly.

“You’re all patched up, Miss Neon.”

She raised her left ankle, admiring at how he had done such a good job at bandaging up her ankle. She wiggled her toes and felt no sharp pain shoot from her ankle to her leg.

Wow, he must have done it with some sort of magic! Right? Well, if it wasn’t, then no matter.

She beamed and shot to her feet immediately, the pain then surging up from her left ankle and traveling all throughout her nerves, making her yelp and lose her footing, stumbling sidewards with a shocked gasp.

Long arms then came around her waist to steady her, her own hands finding purchase on strong shoulders and gripping the fabric tightly in fear of falling any further, eyelids closed shut.

There was a puff of warm air that hit her forehead, Neon opening her eyes and tilting her chin upward to be met with bright black eyes.

With a jolt, his arms retracted themselves and he stood farther from her, sweat building on his temple and swallowing in what Neon checked off as nervousness. He fixed the last of the first-aid kit and put it back in its place, Neon intently staring at him.

“M – My apologies, Miss Neon,” he said then cleared his throat. He shot one last glance at her and bowed in respect. “If it would help you further would you want me to assist you to your bed?”

Neon suddenly felt tongue-tied but mustered enough strength to focus on what was happening, smiling cheerfully and agreeing.

“Yeah that’d be great!”

He gave her a half-smile and turned his back to her, which she took as cue to hop on his back. She did so and wrapped her arms around his neck, exhaling as the breath was knocked out of her when her chest hit his back.

As if by instinct or some other thing, his own hands came to smoothly wrap around her legs, hoisting her up and holding her steady.

Piggybacks were something that had happened by accident and now whenever the chance presented itself, she demanded them. Sometimes – like right now – he offered. Other times he was caught off-guard but let it be, giving her a warning not to become too used to that otherwise people may start thinking the wrong thing. When she had asked about that he merely brushed off her question and became silent.

It didn’t take long to reach the bed and so Neon pushed herself off his back to bounce joyfully on her bed, loving the softness of the mattress and cradling her many pillows to her.

“If that will be all, I’ll leave.”

“Ehh?” Neon exclaimed with a pout, sitting up with creased eyebrows. “Already? But it’s too early.”

Her Kurta bodyguard studied her for a second before speaking.

“It is nearing midnight and past your bedtime. I will write a report about this to your father so it would be best for you to rest up and gather strength for the next day.”

She was about to complain at the sheer absurdity of it all when he added, “If you do I might pay you a visit and allow you to braid my hair.”

That made her pause, clicking her jaw shut and narrowing her eyes suspiciously at him. He almost knew her so well… he knew how to bargain with her. What the heck when did that happen?

Neon sighed through her nose and made her way under the covers.

“Fine, you win,” she begrudgingly admitted. “But if you don’t come by tomorrow I’m taking you shopping, ne?”

He gave one nod before walking toward the door. He paused and glanced at her, the corner of his lips quirking upward. 

“Have a good night’s rest, mistress. You surely need it.”

With that, he left and the door snapped closed, leaving Neon to giggle to herself and snuggle more comfortably under the covers, sleep overtaking her just moments after.


End file.
